The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-04-30

80 the sales of many sixteenth sect
ions of school lands have been annul-
led, yet no evidence OF such appears on
the township ledger, and the interest
has been paid on them regularly.
"Capt. Steele states that many notes
have been prescribed, and others have
been collected by parish treasurers aud
district attorneys, and if they were
ever paid into the State treasury no
evidence can be found of the facts. 10
order to prevent the townships in one
parish from drawing the interest due
to townships In other parishes, as has
been the case, and 10 obtain proper
credits, the Auditor suggests that
school boards in the several parishes
OF the State should examine the re- !
cords in the Office of the recorder OF
mortgages for the purpose of ascertain
ing what parts Of the sixteenth section
school lands have been sold, and to
whom sold, what sales have been an
nulled, and to ascertain what suits for
the collections of sixteenth section
notes have been filed. He states that
the records in the Auditors Office are
too incomplete to attempt to give the
proper credits, and to do such will
necessitate an examination of the re-.
| cords extending back to 1s49. The
limited clerical force in the office OF
the Auditor will prevent him from
doing this work without aid from such
parishes as may desire or ask for cor
| rections or additional credits.
| "The Auditor states that he has been
unable to obtain the data from which
the Constitutional Convention fixed the
amount due the townships. 1t is evident
to him that there was good deal oil
guesswOrk on the part of the COM
mittee who made such report fixing
the debt due the townships"
In November, 1856, Mr.. Lott writes;
sThe subject or question is one filled
with "a great deal of intricacy as we'll
as much labor and research. How
ever, having gone over the field once,
l can do 1t again, with much less la
Dor and trouble than originally. 10
place the matter Oh the Auditors and
Treasurer's books, as required by the
Constitution, will be attended by
much labor and research, as we'll as
thorough understanding of the question
by all the parties concerned"
Now, in despite of my circulars,
which was based upon conclusions de-
rived from this and other correspon-
dence, not more than half dozen of
the parishes, up to January l, 1886,
made application for additional cred
its,
These various questions having been
submitted to the Attorney General,
elected the following reply:
| STATE OF LOUISIANA, |
Attorney Generals Office,
IS Carondelet street.
New Orleans, January IA, 1886.
Hon. o. Il. Steele, Auditor, Baton Rouge:
Dear Sir-Your fsvor Of the 18th
inst, duly received. As rule, it Is
very unsafe to take the recollection of
any man in 30 important a question.
Its seems to me the safer plan would
be to examine the report made by Col.
Lofts committee 10 the Constitutional
Convention. l presume you could
find it in the office OF the Secretary Of
State However. the convention did
settle the amount due in the aggregate
to all the townships in the State, and
| if that entire amount can be diSirib.
uted among the several townships
that is, if you can ascertain the amount
due each township in order TO make
up that aggregates y0u will be carry
ing out Constitutional Article 233. l
appreciate the fact that Ii is impossible
to trace all the notes, and the easiest
solution Of the question would he to
credit each township with the amount
lin principaD Of the proceeds (cash
and notes. of the land wherever ii has
been sold, and If the aggregate does
not exceed the sum fixed ($l, l3S, SG7)
you viii be carrying out the intention
of the article.
AS you say, il the current collect ons
on notes taken prior to 1879 belong TO
the general fund, of course the town
ships formerly owning the land are en-.
titled to the interest. 1t this construc.
ton does any injustice to the public
school fund, il seems to have been
done by the Constitution.
OF course this provision Article 233)
has no control over proceeds of lands
sold since 1879, the interest upon
which wilt go to the proper townships
| directly.
Yours respectfully,
NJ. j. CUNNINGuAM,
Attorney General.
From this exposition of the case, it
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